Tribute to Sarah Parker (1956-2025)

Tributes have been paid to Sarah Parker, a Modern Pentathlon pioneer who died on September 14, aged 69.

Parker played a pivotal role in establishing the sport in Great Britain. She was part of a generation of female athletes who earned the right to compete alongside men at the highest level, starting at the World Championships in the late 1970s. She was rewarded with both individual and team medals in the following years.

The breakthrough for gender equality in pentathlon came after Parker, still a teenager, had contributed coaching support that enabled the GB men’s team – including her brother, Adrian – to win a surprise gold medal at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games. Only two other nations (Hungary and the Soviet Union) had previously held this prize.

Parker contributed to the winning of another Olympic medal in Seoul in 1988, where her trainee Dominic Mahony made it to the podium for a Team bronze medal.

UIPM President Rob Stull said: “I started my Modern Pentathlon career as a junior in 1978, and there were several pioneers in our sport who were already famous on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Sarah Parker was one of them – and she was a true inspiration to generations of women who have followed. She approached sport with tenacity and vigour and, as I recall, had a great sense of humour. She accomplished great things in our sport and will be dearly missed.”